Uta Hagen

"We must overcome the notion that we must be regular. It robs you of the chance to be extraordinary and leads you to the mediocre." - Uta Hagen , Famous 20th Century Acting Teacher, Uta Hagen books and DVDs// Regular is boring. How many people do you know who strive to be 'regular' guys or gals? What would you think if I introduced myself to you like this: "Hi, my name is Jeremy, and I'm just a regular guy." I'm sure you would be polite, shake my hand and, then, forget my name the second I walk away. Each of us has the chance ... Read Full Story

I have been snooping around on the BackStage.com Acting Methods and Approaches Message Board and a couple of times I have seen posters speak of Uta Hagen and Lee Strasberg as essentially equivalent in terms of the approach to acting that they espouse. This is a misperception, and it seems to spring from two sources: first, a belief that what Hagen calls "transference" (earlier, "substitution") is somehow roughly equivalent to "affective memory", the technique that defined Lee Strasberg, and second, the fact that Uta Hagen does discuss and even recommend affective memory in her books, which does seem to align her with Strasberg. In ... Read Full Story

Biography: Amanda Peet: born January 11, 1972 in New York City; height: 5 feet 7 (170 cm); Zodiac Sign: Capricorn. photo: PR Photos Peet studied history in Columbia University where she auditioned for acting teacher Uta Hagen and decided to become an actress after taking Hagen’s class. Amanda’s first screen performance was a television commercial for Skittles. Her early roles included a guest role on the TV series Law & Order . She made her film debut in Animal Room in 1995. Peet’s first role in a big released feature film came in 2000: The Whole Nine Yards which, together with Whipped helped her ... Read Full Story

Biography: Amanda Peet: born January 11, 1972 in New York City; height: 5 feet 7 (170 cm); Zodiac Sign: Capricorn. Peet studied history in Columbia University where she auditioned for acting teacher Uta Hagen and decided to become an actress after taking Hagen’s class. Read Full Story

I have been snooping around on the BackStage.com Acting Methods and Approaches Message Board and a couple of times I have seen posters speak of Uta Hagen and Lee Strasberg as essentially equivalent in terms of the approach to acting that they espouse. This is a misperception, and it seems to spring from two sources: first, a belief that what Hagen calls "transference" (earlier, "substitution") is somehow roughly equivalent to "affective memory", the technique that defined Lee Strasberg, and second, the fact that Uta Hagen does discuss and even recommend affective memory in her books, which does seem to align her with Strasberg. In ... Read Full Story